Posted: May 31, 2018

More than 37,000 people die every year in Canada from tobacco-related illnesses.

Today is World No Tobacco Day and Grand River Hospital (GRH) together with the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program (WWRCP) is encouraging those who don’t want to quit smoking, to at least think about quitting. It is within hours the body starts to benefit from quitting smoking and its long term health risks. It is never too late to quit!

Kelly Cronin
Kelly Cronin, registered nurse and tobacco cessation lead for the WWRCP

There are a number of reasons why people smoke. Kelly Cronin, registered nurse and tobacco cessation lead for the WWRCP, outlines some of the reasons why people may smoke and the myths behind these reasons and the impacts on your health.

Reason #1: “It curbs my appetite”  

Nicotine can suppress your appetite, but smoking puts enormous stress on your heart and lungs. The stress on your heart from smoking a pack a day is equal to being 90 pounds overweight!

Reason #2: “It relaxes me”

Smoking makes your heart beat faster, your breathing quickens and your blood pressure rises – putting additional stress on the body. Smoking releases dopamine, a chemical in your brain associated with feelings of pleasure, and makes you feel relaxed but that feeling only lasts a few moments.

Reason #3: “It helps me stay focused”

Nicotine is a stimulant, so while you may feel you are more focused, smoking actually blocks blood vessels in the arteries and veins starving the brain of the oxygen it needs to function properly.

Kelly has spent the last five years running the WWRCP tobacco cessation program based out of GRH’s regional cancer centre and has now received 1,000 referrals for the program.  She has seen how changes to a person’s lifestyle can lead to improved health outcomes and a better quality of life.

Challenge yourself to go just 24 hours without a cigarette, the more often you try this the greater the chances that you will one day be smoke free for good.

For smokers who want to quit:

People successfully quit using many different methods.41. There is no single way that works for everyone.  Speak with your health care provider or pharmacist if you are ready to learn more about the options that are right for you.

Call Smokers’ Helpline any day of the week for free services which include speaking with a quit coach, learning how to cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, support to develop a personalized quit plan, access to resources in the community, practical tips for dealing with slips and relapses or request self-help booklets. These services are available in over 100 languages!